Dragon Exile
by Ying-Long
Summary: About Twenty years after Ranma left Nerima to spare it from his chaos, he encounters Akane...and her children
1. Chapter 1

_**Dragon Exile**_

_Italics are thoughts_

**Bold is Japanese**

**I do not own Ranma ½. I write this for entertainment only. But if you copy what I wrote, shame on you!**

Chapter the First: Found Heirs and Found Enemies

Perfume vaulted over a boulder, huffing slightly as she ran on. Nothing was notable about this, except that the boulder was the size of a house. But the Joketsuzoku wasn't really concerned about her skills. Compared to the one she was seeking, they were nothing.

_Stupid Guardian! Why does he insist on coming to these remote places? Can't he practice in town like the rest of us!_

Grimacing, she came to a halt to catch her breath, trying to decide where to look. The Guardian of the Dragon Lands was a formidable man, especially when he did not wish to be found. And he rarely wanted to be found when in training. Not that the pink-haired Amazon understood his obsession. He had destroyed a god, for the love of her ancestors! Wasn't that power enough?

No sound betrayed the presence of another to the panting Amazon. No wind change or movement. Just as suddenly as she had been all alone in the wild garden north of the palace, so she was now standing in a clearing, the one she'd been seeking watching her.

"Where were you?" she demanded, straightening, "I've looked everywhere!"

A light frown crossed his brow, "obviously, not everywhere," he said sullenly, pacing by as silently as if his feet never touched the ground.

Perfume followed him, falling back slightly to admire the play of muscle beneath his skin. He wasn't wearing a shirt today, a rare sight that she planned to enjoy to the fullest.

And the Guardian was a magnificent specimen of a man, in Perfume's opinion. Muscle enough for strength and grace, but enough smoothness to keep it from looking icky. An almost unnaturally handsome face was accented by black within black hair and fierce, piercing blue eyes.

_Something's wrong_, Perfume guessed as she caught him watching the sky with an almost yearning expression. _The Guardian looks deep in thought from time to time. He has always looked forced, like whatever emotion he displays is not how he truly feels. Now…he looks truly unhappy._

And he did. There was a decided droop to him, from his hair to his hands and down to his toes. He walked like one defeated, like a broken man. Perfume didn't like that. She had been trying to make him hers for years, without success. If he was broken, then she doubted he would let her fix it.

"So…why were ya lookin' everywhere?" he asked at last, that forced look returning, wavering, only just holding in place. His droop didn't go away, however.

"Lord Herb has managed to find his heirs…they didn't come quietly."

"So, he wants me around to keep them here?" the Guardian growled, picking up the pace, "why did he bring 'em if they didn't wanna come!"

"According to General Ryu-shen, they were under poor influences and wouldn't know better."

The Guardian glanced at his companion, then let out a loud, derisive snort as he sped up yet again, "more like they didn't wanna leave an' he didn't wanna argue." Trees blurred by as he pulled ahead of Perfume, who was struggling in vain to keep up with his godly speed.

"Slow down!" she gasped at last, her Amazon pride crumbling beneath her disinterest in being left behind.

"Huh? Oh, sorry," the Godslayer slowed a bit, enough for her to just barely keep up, "so, why do they need me?"

"Herb's son is…more powerful than anticipated. And he was brought here drugged, so he isn't making a lot of sense."

"What about the daughter?"

"A weakling," Perfume sniffed as they reached the outer limits of the capital city of the Dragon lands, "who spends her time wailing something in Japanese."

"Japanese?"

"They were found in Japan."

"Do ya know what she was sayin'?" it was obvious that the Guardian wasn't truly interested, but Perfume answered anyway.

"My Japanese is not good, but I believe she kept saying something about a fire and a horse."

"Huh…" slowing, the Guardian entered the normal way, through the front door of the palace, for all he almost never did. So unusual was this that servants and guards all stopped to stare as he strode by, hurrying up the steps.

Down the third floor hallway, Perfume and the Guardian could already hear angry yelling in Chinese and Japanese, along with incessant wailing, "sounds like he's less drugged," the Guardian observed before throwing open the door to the Musk Dynasty ruler's living quarters. And then found himself in complete chaos.

Herb was currently having a heated argument with a teenager who could have been his double, albeit younger. Mei Ying, Herb's small but ferocious wife, was trying to comfort a girl with Herb's color patterning, except that her hair was black instead of white and she was the same height as Mei Ying. The girl kept right on wailing.

"I wonder how long she'll keep that up," Perfume sniffed, her tone one of disdain.

Her words drew the attention of the wailing girl and everyone in the room jumped as she let out a shriek and lunged at the Guardian, "**KAMA**!" she cried, "**KAMA**!"

"**H-Hey**…" the Guardian stammered, backing up a step, "**that ain't my name**."

"**No**?" the girl stopped in front of him, studying him closely, "**I could have sworn**…" then her face fell, "**I WANT MY KAMA**!" she wailed.

"**Suzuma! Get a hold of yourself**!" snarled the younger version of Herb, turning to reveal that he had Mei Ying's lavender eyes instead of their father's yellow-green.

"**But Kama…**"

"**You'll see your love soon enough**," the teen sighed, "**I'm more worried about Akima-san. Her leg has been bothering her more of late.**"

"**But…okay. I hope Kama roasts them!**" the girl snarled, violet eyes flashing angrily.

"**And I hope Akima-san is up to a Dual Standing**," the boy sighed wistfully.

The Guardian frowned as he listened to them speak, knowing that it was not their intention to conceal their words, "I think this was a mistake," he said to Herb and Mei Ying, "they obviously have friends and lives elsewhere."

"But they're our children!" Herb protested harshly.

A sudden gasp drew their attention as Herb's heir keeled over, crouching on the floor and clutching his head in great pain. His twin sister stood over him, shaking him and calling his name.

"**Brother!**" she yelled at him, "**you need to stop trying to fight! It will only make you sick.**"

"**I have to fight**," he snarled, shaking his head as if trying to clear it, "**we have school tomorrow.**"

"**Its okay, Brother. I don't think Mom would hold it against us and – **" the girl began, trying to calm her voice, "**do you think they're worried?**"

"**But…**" Herb's son groaned and dropped to the floor, lying there with his eyes tightly shut.

"**Help us!**" the girl screamed at the Guardian directly, "**he'll hurt himself!**"

"**I can't do nothing!**"

Sobbing, she clasped her brother's shoulders, "**then at least tell me your name**," she requested unhappily.

"**Ranma.**"

"**Please. You shouldn't have taken us away!**" she yelled at Herb, "**we have a life back home! Our family will miss us!**"

"**What was done was done so for your safe return. According to my General, the girl with my son was disfigured and foul-tempered.**"

CRASH!

A body came flying through the broken window, twisting to land on legs that almost gave out upon landing. Everyone in the room stared at this newcomer, especially since there was not a scratch on her. Long blue hair flowed with a subtle wind, nasty looking scars crossing a face that would have been stunning. She was the same age as the two heirs and boy, oh boy, did she ever look mad.

"**YOU!**" she screamed, launching herself at Ryu-shen.

The startled General tried to dodge, not expecting the cane that sent him flying into a wall. The girl landed with one foot and pushed off to shoot after him, not quite touching the floor. Herb would have intervened on behalf of his man, in fact, had a white blur not tripped him.

"**AKIMA-SAN!**"

"**Huh**?" the new girl looked up in time to get bowled over by Herb's son, "**Yu!**" she cried happily, hugging him in return, "**are you okay?**" she gasped as he pulled back, more or less regaining his composure as he did.

"**Where is Kama**?" Herb's daughter asked, rushing over. Or at least she tried to, but Herb grabbed her.

"**OLD MAN!**"

Perfume gaped at the teen who landed squarely on Herb's head, driving the startled monarch into the ground. Odd blue hair tied back in a ponytail, blue eyes flashing, the boy who had landed there looked strangely familiar; and not just the resemblance to the girl laughing at Herb's heir, either. Pretty much the only difference, in fact, (aside from the genders and height) was that his hair was pulled into a ponytail, tied off four or five times along its length.

"**Suzuma? Are you okay? Did they hurt you**?" the newcomer demanded, still standing on Herb as he closely inspected the now-blushing daughter of Herb.

"**I'm fine, Kama. Don't you think you should have tried to get Akima to stay home**?" she asked worriedly as the blue-haired girl proceeded to chew Herb's heir out, "**she's very pale.**"

"**Since when can I get my sister to listen to _anything _I say**?" Kama demanded in exasperation, "**all I could do was talk her out of mother's favorite spear.**"

"**What is going on here**!" the blue-haired girl thundered, "**Kama! We got your love. Now let's get out of here**!"

Before she could move, however, Ryu-shen lashed out with a foot, throwing her into a wall. She didn't move after that. Then again, she didn't have to, really. Herb's heir lunged with a roar like a wild animal, ramming Ryu-shen into the floor before rushing to his fallen companion.

"**Yukima! Grab my sister and let's go!**" Kama yelled, leaping out the window after Suzuma.

"Get them!" Mei-Ying cried, lunging to the window's edge, staring down three stories at the fleeing teenagers, "my son! My daughter!"

Perfume leapt out the window, followed closely by the Guardian and Herb. The teens were fast, obviously well-trained, and the Amazon was struggling to keep up with them. So was Herb. The only one who could catch them was the Guardian, and he was obviously in no hurry to do so.

"Guardian!" Herb yelled, "catch them!"

Ranma sighed but sped up, frowning when the group abruptly stopped in a clearing. He didn't understand the significance of it until something came out of nowhere, knocking him end over end.

"Guardian!" Herb gasped, stopping at his side, "what happened?"

Ranma groaned as he sat up, rubbing his head, "there's someone else here," he groaned just before another person stepped into view.

"_She_ knocked you back?" Perfume sputtered, pointing an accusing finger at the woman, who smirked back. The woman was beautiful, so beautiful that she seemed almost like a goddess more than a mortal maid. She moved solidly, every step seeming as if she would be rooted in place, her hands up in a stance vaguely similar to the Guardian's. And her eyes, large and deep brown, were focused solely on them, a scowl only making her lovelier.

"**What the hell are you doing with MY children**?" she snarled, her short blue hair rippling from the wind generated by a battle aura swarming outwards, engulfing the entire clearing, "**Yukima? How is Akima?**"

"**Fine. She's waking.**"

Herb took a step forward, "**the ones you call 'Yukima' and 'Suzuma' are my heirs. They were merely returned to me.**"

The woman spat out a curse, "**they are yours only if they say they are. And I don't see Kama putting Suzuma in a headlock to bring them here!**" she yelled, taking a threatening step forward.

"**Do not be foolish**," Herb cautioned, then flinched as her expression turned murderous, "**you can't win**."

"**Only one person ever bested me in a fight**," she growled, "**and you're not him, Herb!**"

"**Truly? You have heard of me?**" Herb was surprised, "**I am flattered**."

"**Run!**" the woman yelled over her shoulder before launching herself at Herb, "**your fight is with me!**" she roared, coming at him like a charging bull.

Herb sighed and sidestepped, only to be flung aside by her rampant battle aura. Ranma dodged while Perfume chased after the fleeing teens, determined to bring them back if she had to knock them out to do it.

"**You are skilled**," Herb mused, wiping at a trickle of blood, "**but if you can't even hit me…**"

The woman planted herself firmly for a moment, then launched herself into the air, coming at him with a foot out. Herb smirked, till suddenly flames roared around her, taking on the glowing form of a bird.

"**Anything goes secret technique: FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX!**"

The resulting explosion could not be dodged, at least not by Herb. The crater it left was enormous, spanning a good half a mile. Herb groaned as he lay among the rubble, staring at the woman approaching with fire dancing in her eyes. Then, before she could reach him, she looked up and shot backwards in time to avoid Ranma's landing.

"**Yer good**," he mused.

"**So are you**," she said, noting the fact that his clothes weren't even singed, "**I don't want to fight. I just want to make you leave my children alone.**"

"**Sorry**," Ranma apologized, "**but their real Mom will kill me if we come back without them cause I let ya go.**"

She sighed, taking up a lighter stance, "**very well. Come at me.**"

Ranma lunged in, surprised to find her moving around him, evading him with slight movements. He picked up the pace and so did she. Finally, he cut loose a blast of chi, waiting for it to hit.

"**CHI DRAIN!**" she roared, the Mokutakabisha being absorbed with a huff.

But the Guardian moved in, attacking as he began the spiral. It was one of the many dragon attacks he knew, but he doubted that she could simply absorb it. He was almost to the point where he could let fly when suddenly, she lashed out at him.

"**I haven't seen Ryuu Shoten Ha in years!**" she laughed, then grinned at him and he realized that he'd been caught, even as she raised both hands, "**SKY FIRE**!" she roared as electricity, generated by the friction of the winds, struck, blasting Ranma backwards. He only just avoided being smashed against the sides of the crater they were fighting in and watched in amazement as she charged him with a battle cry.

Suddenly, his memory jolted, back almost twenty years. Back to the only time he had been happy. Back to fiancées and suitors and Nerima. Blue hair, brown eyes…a battle cry that sounded more like an angry hawk than a person…

"**Akane…**" Ranma gasped.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Dragon Exile**_

_Italics are thoughts_

**Bold is Japanese**

**I do not own Ranma ½. I write this for entertainment only. But if you copy what I wrote, shame on you!**

Chapter the Second: Reunion

"**Huh**!" Akane ground to a halt, eyeing the strange man warily, "**you know me?**"

She studied him closely as he began muttering in Chinese, taking in everything. He had long hair, tied back with green cord that somehow suited the black of his hair. He wasn't wearing a shirt, just Chinese pants and slippers, a fashion statement that showed off powerful but lean muscle. The hilt of a sword peaked out from behind him at the waist, the hilt extremely ornate. Yet he moved as if he never used it while holding himself at the ready in a familiar stance.

"**Yeah, you could put it that way,**" he said and raised his head to look right at her. There was endless sorrow in his eyes, misery twenty years old. But that wasn't what she noticed. All that Akane noticed were stormy blue eyes that she had thought to never see again.

"**R-Ranma…**" she stammered, gaping at him, "**is that you**!"

"**Y-Yeah, 'Kane. Long time no see, heh heh…**" Ranma sputtered.

Before Akane could say anything to that, they both whirled as screams filled the air, "**what was that?**" she gasped, already moving in the appropriate direction, "**Akima…Kama…Suzuma…Yukima…MY BABIES**!"

Ranma felt like he'd been punched in the gut at the exclamation he had put up with from Soun for years. _So…guess she moved on_, he thought sullenly as he moved to follow her.

Akane still wasn't as fast as he was, but Ranma still had to grudgingly admit that he admired her all the same. The way she ran, no matter where the attack came from, she'd be immovable in the span of an instant.

Finally, the two burst into a clearing to see a scene of madness that was all too familiar for Ranma. What looked like Herb's girl form from long ago was attacking Ryu-shen in tandem with a boy who looked almost like Kama, but with purple hair. Meanwhile, Perfume had her hands full with a chillingly familiar redhead and an angry boy who looked like Herb, but the color of the hair looked like Suzuma.

"**Who are**…"

"**They're cursed**," Akane explained grimly, "**turns out that it can be inherited from a parent and passed down for a generation or two.**"

"**Then how'd your kids get it?**" Ranma demanded, trying to squelch his jealousy.

Akane looked at him sharply, "**Kama is a redhead. Ranma, even _you_ can't be _that_ dense**!" she snapped before jumping into the fray with a howl.

Ranma watched them fight, focused on Akane's son-turned-daughter, "**they…THEY'RE MINE!**" he cried, startling Akane so much that she almost took a hit.

"**BAKA! TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH!**" Akane roared at him, "**leave my children alone!**"

"Stand down!" Ranma yelled, startling Perfume and Ryu-shen, "stand down NOW!"

"Huh? Why?" Perfume demanded, backing up.

Instead of answering, Ranma surged past her, knocking Kama out of the air. The two stared at one another, the same blue eyes mirrored in each. The only difference between their cursed forms lay in the strong resemblance to Akane's side of the family elsewhere.

"Because two of these kids are Herb's heirs," Ranma explained, letting the teen up, "the other two are mine."

"You…you can't be serious!" Perfume sputtered, "you said that you didn't have family."

"I guess this proves that I don't know everything," Ranma noted dryly, "Herb, I can't fight Akane and I can't fight her kids," he said as the Dragon Lord staggered into view.

"I am not stupid, Guardian. I still have scars from the _last_ time I dared to lay a hand on your woman," Herb snorted, "can you convince her to return with us. I would prefer to sort this whole thing out in more civilized locals."

"I can try. **Akane, we wanna sort all this out. Herb has offered hospitality. They don't attack once they've offered that,**" Ranma translated.

"I can speak Chinese just fine, Ranma," Akane said dryly, "**come on, guys**," she added to her children, who were hovering warily behind her, "**let's have you all changed back, shall we**?"


	3. Chapter 3

_**Dragon Exile**_

_Italics are thoughts_

**Bold is Japanese**

**I do not own Ranma ½. I write this for entertainment only. But if you copy what I wrote, shame on you!**

Chapter the Third: The Bargain

As was custom, the group took tea in one of the smaller dining halls of the palace. On one side of the table sat Herb, Mei Ying, Ryu-shen, and Perfume. On the other sat the four teens. On one end of the table sat Ranma and on the opposite sat Akane. They were all drinking tea in the tense silence of the room.

"Okay, so those two are the Godslayer's offspring?" Mei Ying gasped, "what are they doing here?"

"I found them," Akane explained into her tea, her tone chilly, "abandoned on a street corner. So, I adopted them. They're the same age as my children, so I just gave them the same birthday and went on with life."

"Impressive to have raised four children like that. Even with a husband, that had to be quite the job," Perfume sneered.

Akane's face fell at that and she went back to her tea. Her children eyed her worriedly, but didn't comment. Apparently, they knew enough Chinese to understand what was going on…when they weren't too upset, that is.

"Perfume, that was rude," Mei Ying chided, "she did the best she could."

"I don't have a husband," Akane murmured without looking up, "my family helped me raise them."

Perfume snorted at that, "we are to believe that you were faithful all this time?"

"**More than that bastard!**" Kama spat, jabbing a finger at Ranma.

"**Kama…**" Suzuma began worriedly, but was interrupted by Yukima.

"**No, sister, he's right. No matter the circumstances, you left our mother without so much as a farewell,**" Yukima said, speaking directly to Ranma, "**how Akima-san and Kama share blood with such a coward, I will never know!**"

"**I left ta protect her!**" Ranma blurted out angrily, slamming his fists onto the table hard enough to shake the teacups, "**if I hadn't left, she'da been attacked by every stupid guy who has a grudge against me! Don't you dare tell me it wasn't worth it! She's alive, ain't she!**" he demanded, pointing accusingly at an oddly quiet Akane.

For a moment, there was stunned silence, then Akima slammed her hands onto the table and surged to her feet, "**how STUPID are you! Protect Mom! From what! You're just a coward afraid of commitment and Mom was unlucky enough to fall in love with you!**"

"Akima," Akane said sharply, "that's enough."

"**No, Mom, it isn't! I heard you! We all heard you! You'd wake up in the night, crying and calling HIS FILTHY NAME! And whenever you talked about him, you'd start crying! He doesn't deserve to be forgiven!**"

"**What are you saying! He doesn't need to be forgiven! You should be honored just to carry his blood!**" Perfume jumped in, pulling out a mace and waving it threateningly at the glowering girl.

"**Bite me, Amazon witch!**"

"DIE!" Perfume screamed, launching herself at Akima.

"**DIE!**" Akima yelled back, then abruptly her legs gave out and she collapsed into her seat. Perfume was still flying at her, but only till the Amazon collided with a savage kick and was flung backwards into the far wall.

"**_Touch Akima-san and I WILL kill you!_**" Yukima roared, his lavender eyes blazing with rage, "**_I'll tear this entire land apart!_**"

"**Yu!**" jumping up, Akima latched onto him, "**Yu! Calm down! It doesn't hurt anymore!**"

"What's wrong with her?" Mei Ying asked worriedly.

"**One of those people _HE_ tried to protect Mom from**," Akima growled, still practically riding piggy-back on Yukima, "**I got in the way.**"

Ranma cringed at that, but it was Herb who spoke this time, "**we still require our heirs. My wife, Mei Ying, cannot bear any more children. You will be well taken care of. We even have betrothed for both of you.**"

"**BETROTHED!**" Kama and Suzuma shrieked in unison, "**YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!**"

"**Why not? They come from some of the most well-known martial arts families in the world**," Mei Ying coaxed.

"**You can't! I'm marrying Kama!**" Suzuma cried, latching onto the blue-haired male, who nodded emphatically, "**we love each other!**"

"Love fades," Ryu-shen countered.

"**My siblings are soul mates,**" Yukima growled, "**they have been inseparable since the day they met. Do you not think that they might have decided otherwise with almost seventeen years beneath their belts?**"

"**Youth is blind.**"

Yukima glanced sidelong at his sister, then sighed and dropped into his seat, "**what if there was a bargain made?**"

"**What sort of bargain?**" Herb asked warily.

Again, Yukima glanced at his siblings, then sighed and bowed his head, "**if you agree to let my sister live her own life, free of your interference, then I…I will be your heir without a fight.**"

"**What!**" Kama gasped.

"**Brother! No! You can't do that for me!**" Suzuma gasped.

"**Yu? Are you sure this is what you want?**" Akane asked.

"**Yes. For my sister's happiness.**"

Akima hadn't said a word yet.

"**Mother! Tell him! We'll fight our way out! You can't be doing this, Yu!**" Suzuma protested desperately.

"**Suzuma, it's the better deal. I have…no one**," Yukima said reluctantly, "**you have the love of your life, but I haven't found any such person for me. Maybe this betrothed will…be good for me.**"

"**Listen to yourself! You can't even say it! Don't do this, Yu!**" Suzuma insisted.

"**It's the best thing for us,**" Yukima shook his head, then turned to look challengingly at Herb, "**will you accept this?**"

Herb considered him a moment, then nodded, "**yes. It's a deal.**"

"**So be it.**"


	4. Chapter 4

_**Dragon Exile**_

_Italics are thoughts_

**Bold is Japanese**

**I do not own Ranma ½. I write this for entertainment only. But if you copy what I wrote, shame on you!**

Chapter the Fourth: Dragons and Cats

Ranma stood with Herb and Mei Ying while Yukima said his goodbyes. Akane wished him luck and ordered him to stay out of trouble. Suzuma sobbed that she would never forget this, while Kama and Yukima just smiled and clapped each other on the shoulder.

"Are you sure this is right?" Ranma asked, "breaking them up just so you can marry them to people they've never met?"

"It's perfect," Herb insisted, "I doubt your woman would have allowed it any other way," he added when Akane shot a nasty scowl their way before shouldering her backpack.

Finally, it was only Yukima and Akima. And they just stood there, not exactly looking at one another till Perfume cleared her throat at them to get on with it.

"**I'm sorry, Akima-san,**" Yukima said, the first expression of regret he'd shown since this whole thing began, "**I…it was fun.**"

_SMACK_!

Akima glowered up at him, "**you're a fool!**" she spat and then turned and marched off without so much as a backward glance.

Suddenly, Kama turned and jogged up to them, a grim look on his face as he stopped and spoke, "**breaking those two up was the epitome of bad ideas. But I guess sooner or later, you'll find that out for yourself. Enjoy!**" he added maliciously, hurrying to catch up with his family.

"What do you think he meant by that?" Mei Ying asked.

"Just trying to scare us," Perfume dismissed, "come on, that kid has a lot to learn."

Ranma stared at Yukima, standing numbly in place, a hand pressed over the spot where he'd been struck. The kid was a rock, as chilly as his name, but it was obvious to the pigtailed martial artist that he was in pain that ran far deeper than the slap could possibly reach.

Ranma found Yukima easily enough, perched on the lookout tower of the palace. He sat on the shingled roof over the stairwell, knees drawn up against his chest as he stared morosely eastward.

It had been almost a week since the kid's family headed home and he'd made it more and more difficult to be located. In the end, Ranma found that Yukima had an odd but familiar tendency to seek out high places when he was upset. Hence why it was Ranma who usually did the finding, now.

"**Hey, kid…**"

"I speak Chinese. I may as well get practice," Yukima responded numbly.

"Okay…you gonna be all right with this?"

Yukima snorted, "how do you think? I'm stuck in this place, surrounded by people I never met before today and…now Akima-san hates me," he added, dropping his face into his crossed arms.

"Why 'Akima-san'? Ya call the others by their names."

"When we were nine, I lost my favorite ball over the fence of a neighbor's house. He never likes children, so I couldn't ask to retrieve it. So, Akima-san told me that she would go get it. This was…before her injury."

"What happened?" Ranma asked, settling in next to the younger male.

"The neighbor had a big dog, an imported monster called a 'Pit Bull'. I heard her screaming, but I couldn't go. I was frightened," Yukima ground out, his eyes alight with self-loathing, "she has scars all along the leg that is injured now and she got away only because of our training. For three months, she was in the hospital, doped on pain medications and jumping at shadows. Because _I_ left my _best friend_ to that, I can never bear the honor of familiarity."

"You were a kid."

"I still should have done something," Yukima responded coldly, "while Suzuma and Kama were always off in their own little world, Akima-san and I were friends. We were always in the same homeroom, the same grade, the same study groups. I abandoned her and for that I can never be forgiven."

Ranma stared at him, then turned to stare out across the sky, "ya can't blame yourself forever. If ya do, it just drives you mad."

"Speaking from personal experience?" Yukima asked.

"Yeah. Way back when…Akane and I were fighting this bird-god. She nearly died in my arms. And I could never forgive myself for coming so close, for not protecting her as I should have."

"And so, you left?"

"Yes. Akane deserves someone special, you know. Someone who can give her everything she ever wanted. Someone who isn't a stupid baka and always making her cry."

"What made you decide to leave?" Yukima asked suddenly, his purple eyes oddly intent.

Ranma eyed him a moment, then sighed and lay back against the roof, "Akane was a wreak after the failed wedding. She wouldn't talk to anyone, she wouldn't even look at me. And then, like a bakabakashii, I picked a fight."

"That was stupid. Mom is like a fire demon when she's mad."

"Yeah, well…it wasn't all that bad till she told me to find someone better than her, because…she called herself everything I'd ever called her. And she was real upset, not like normal. She didn't even hit me, just kept cryin' and cryin' and finally, she fainted."

"I don't get it."

"It was my fault. I was hurting her and I made her think she's…I left that night. I couldn't do that to her."

"That didn't help. Mom still has issues about certain name-calling. She flipped out completely when she caught Kama calling his sister uncute once."

Ranma sighed, "enough about this. So, let's go inside, ne? Ya look like you'll fall asleep any minute."

The woman Herb had chosen as Yukima's betrothed was a tiny, demure little thing named Jing Mei, an Amazon from Perfume's tribe. She had long blue hair, gray eyes, and Yukima looked like he was about to be ill.

"I am pleased to meet my future husband," Jing Mei told him, "you're quite handsome."

A muscle jumped on Yukima's face before he forced a smile, "and you are very pretty, Jing Mei."

She giggled behind her hand, "you're sweet. Do you have any women?"

"Pardon?"

"No, he doesn't," Mei Ying put in hastily, "Jing Mei, perhaps we should leave you two to get to know one another better."

Jing Mei's expression turned predatory, "I would _love_ to," she crooned, her eyes speaking louder than words what she wanted.

"Mrowr?"

"YAAAAAAAAH!" Ranma yelled, jumping till he could hang from the ceiling lamps, "CAAAAT!"

"What's wrong with you?" Jing Mei demanded, picking up the kitten, "it's only my kitty, Lo Long."

"I'm sorry. Our Godslayer has a strong fear of cats," Herb apologized.

"Oh. Well, that's silly," Jing Mei chided, dumping the cat in a very quiet Yukima's lap.

"Mrow…"

"Huh?" the group turned to look at Yukima, whose head was bent, "my son, are you all right?" Mei Ying asked, touching his shoulder.

"FFSSSST!" Yukima was on his feet and moving, landing nimbly on the back of the chair furthest from them, his gaze no longer human but still frighteningly intelligent.

"Cat fu!" Mei Ying shrieked, "that witch taught my son Cat fu!"

Yukima's eyes narrowed and he let out a low, rumbling growl, "rrrrowrrrr…"

Ranma, meanwhile, was holding onto the lamp for dear life, his petrified gaze switching between Yukima and the kitten on the couch. He was also too frightened to notice the ceiling giving way under the weight.

CRASH!

"Great!" Perfume snorted, trying to corner a feral-eyed Godslayer, "now they're both in the state!"

"What can we do?" Jing Mei demanded, clutching her cat to her while watching Yukima warily, " I can't marry a cat!"

"Unfortunately, they only come to those whom they have complete and utter trust for. And none of us apply," Mei Ying sighed.

"Perfume! Fetch my son's family!" Herb ordered, "he seemed to trust that girl with the limp!"

"Yes, My Lord!"

"Will they snap out of it any other way?"

"None that you want to try," Mei Ying assured the younger Amazon.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Dragon Exile**_

_Italics are thoughts_

**Bold is Japanese**

**I do not own Ranma ½. I write this for entertainment only. But if you copy what I wrote, shame on you!**

Chapter the Fifth: One Without the Other

"**I wish Yukima hadn't done that**," Suzuma sighed, nestling closer to Kama. She was snuggled into her love's lap, sitting at the fire with her mother and sister.

"**I know, Suzuma, so do I**," Kama murmured, tightening his grip.

"**All right, it's about time to head out,**" Akane sighed, getting wearily to her feet, then she glance up at something, "**what the…**" and immediately dropped into a defensive stance. Her children scrambled to their feet, mirroring her action without a word.

A minute later, the pink-haired Amazon Perfume staggered out of the brush and nearly jumped out of her skin at their stances, "**I not here for fight!**"

"Then what are you here for?" Akane demanded sourly.

"You must come! Yukima is in Cat Fu!"

"What! **Akima! Yukima is in the Nekoken!**" Akane yelled, dumping dirt over the fire as they all scrambled for their gear. All while Perfume waited impatiently, shifting from foot to foot.

"**So…what happened**?" Suzuma asked as they ran.

"**Betrothed bring kitten. Godslayer freak like normal. Betrothd put kitten in Yukima's lap and he change.**"

"**What about Ranma**?" Akane asked, taking a forty-foot jump over a narrow gorge as easily as hopping over a puddle.

"**What that matter!**" Perfume demanded hotly, "**he never comes to anyone**!" she yelled as they came within sight of the palace.

"**If you say so. I hope someone separated them**," Kama mused.

"**What you mean**?"

"**Yu always got pretty testy whenever other guys were around in 'his territory',**" Kama explained, "**he ignored me, but that's because we're family. He nearly tore one of Akima's admirers a new one when he came calling.**"

"**Where you going!**" Perfume demanded when the group split at the wall of the palace gardens.

"**Yu never liked being indoors when he's a cat. We're going to search for him**," Suzuma called out before she disappeared into the brush.

"Stupid Japanese! Now…where is Lord Herb…" Perfume took off for the palace gates.

"**Baka**," Akima grumbled, staggering into a clearing centered within a Bamboo grove. _I'm so stupid,_ she thought, sinking onto a log_. Running like that. My leg is about to give out…_

Suddenly, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, the grim feeling that she was being watched. Slowly lifting her gaze, Akima sighed in relief when she spotted Yukima, on all fours, watching her closely from the branch of a nearby tree.

"**Yu!**" Akima cried out, then hastily added, "**here. Here, Yu! Come here! Good kitty! Come on!**"

While she called to him, Yukima did a quick scan of the surrounding area. Satisfied, he leapt down and padded over to her. _That's it_, Akima thought, _come to me._

"**Baka. Why didn't you warn them?**" she sighed when he settled beside her, his shoulder leaning against her side while he bent to sniff at her leg, "**you should have told them about the Nekoken**."

Yukima stared at her, then stiffened and hissed at something off to her left. When Akima turned, she shivered at the feral blue eyes staring back at her. Saotome Ranma stepped easily into view, his shoulders moving like a tiger's, his gaze steady.

It was obvious that he did _not_ approve of the other male and it was also obvious to Akima, by the way he moved, that Yukima was no match for him. He still acted like a kitten, not a fully-grown adult.

"MROWWWW!" Yukima called out, standing and beginning to bristle. The response was a low roar from the older martial artist.

"**Akima! Don't move!**"

"**Mom!**" Akima cried out when she saw her mother appear out of the bushes, "**Mom! Don't come any closer! They're going to fight!**"

"**I know, Akima,**" stepping boldly over to the growling Ranma, she tapped him on the shoulder and smiled when she got his attention, "**I can handle Ranma, baby. You deal with Yukima.**" And she knelt, speaking soothingly to the wary adult male. Soon, though, he nuzzled against her leg and allowed himself to be petted, occasionally casting dark looks at Yukima from over his shoulder.

"**How did you so that!**" Akima gasped, "**Yu is like a kitten but…that's no kitten!**"

"**Ranma knows who I am. He would never hurt me in this state,**" Akane smiled, stroking his hair, "**he's older, but he's still a cat. And like any man, he's more interested in women than he is in fighting.**"

Akima giggled, then hastily soothed Yu when he eyed her curiously, "**what's that got to do with me and Yu?**"

"**Think about it**," Akane challenged, then looked up and heaved a sigh, "**I was wondering when you would show up**."

Perfume glowered while Herb merely shrugged, "**can you blame us?**"

"Get away from the Godslayer, you witch!" Perfume spat, advancing on Akane, "you you, you trollop!" she added to Akima, "how dare you try to steal Jing Mei's husband!"

Akima scowled, "**I'm not stealing anyone! HE came to ME!**"

"Perfume, stop. You're making him mad," Akane cautioned, less angry and more concerned, trying to distract a very still Ranma from Perfume.

"No, I'm not! You're just trying to keep him away from the people who are actually good to him!"

Ranma let out a low growl, moving to stand beside Akane, his eyes fastened angrily on Perfume. Meanwhile, Yukima was advancing on her, already, growling low in his throat, while Akima tried, in vain, to restrain him.

"Perfume! Get back!" Herb called out, spotting the aggressive mannerisms of angry male cats protecting their females.

"Lord Herb!" Ryu-shen cried, rushing into view with Mei Ying on his back, "what's going on!"

"They're both in the Nekoken?" Mei Ying gasped, hurrying to her husband's side, "why aren't they attacking one another?"

"**YU!**" Akima screamed angrily, digging her feet in, "**stop it, baka!**"

"**Akima!**" Kama rushed into view, then ground to a halt when Ranma swung to glower at him, "**uh oh…**"

"**You trollop,**" Perfume sneered at Akima, who was straining to hold Yukima back, "**he no want to be with you anymore**."

"Perfume! Stop this at once!" Mei Ying gasped, "he isn't fighting her, he's coming after you!"

Despite the volatile atmosphere, chaos didn't break out until Perfume calmly leveled a bow up and shot at the most offending target. Ranma, who was eyeing Kama narrowly, didn't realize what was going on until Akane gasped in pain and warm blood spurted out, staining his back.

"**MOM!**" Akima screamed, releasing Yukima in time to barely dodge an arrow herself, though it still cut up her arm pretty badly.

The stench of fresh blood filled the air as Akane staggered back, staring numbly at the arrow shaft protruding from her chest, just above her heart. Suzuma was screaming while Kama tried to pull her back, his blue eyes large in his pale face. Meanwhile, Akima's leg gave out and she went sprawling on the ground with a surprised yelp.

Ranma stood over Akane, making low, urgent sounds and sniffing at the arrow shaft, obviously at a loss as to what to do. He looked so lost that Kama almost felt sorry for him, even as he moved to protect his own love.

Yukima, meanwhile, was watching all of this from a protective stance beside Akima, who was trying to stifle sobs of pain. His lavender eyes took in his fallen mother, his frightened sister, and his injured best friend.

"GROWWRRRR!"

Herb jerked Mei Ying into his arms and dove away, Perfume and Ryu-shen scattering before the enraged heir. Yukima landed easily in the spot where the Amazon had been a moment earlier, his eyes alight with rage.

"Perfume, you fool! Now look what you've done!" Ryu-shen cried as Ranma turned to survey what was going on. The members of Herb's party began to sweat when the Godslayer decided that Yukima had the right idea and began to approach as well, his movements as menacing as a hunting tiger.

"**Mom! Mom, answer me!**" Akima cried to Akane, who was still mesmerized by the arrow shaft.

"**Akima! Get out of there!**" Kama yelled at his sister, moving towards her.

The two Nekoken-addled humans were a blur, each trying to kill Perfume and anyone who happened to get in their way. Yukima hit like a truck, whereas Ranma was as swift as the wind, the two having come to some mutual agreement and were hunting in unison now.

"We can't escape!" Ryu-shen cried, bloody at the leg from a hit from one of the two angry cats.

Perfume didn't answer, still dodging the pair, desperate to stay alive through their united attacks. _It isn't true!_ Perfume was thinking, _they can't be attacking me for those second-rate females._ And yet, that was exactly what was happening.

"**YANG'S WRATH!**"

The group looked up, then scattered as Akima came roaring out of the sky, her eyes glowing red and her chi burning like white fire around her. She hit the ground a split second after they dodged, a wave of white chi roaring outwards from her, burning the ground and singing their clothes.

"**FIRES OF BALANCE!**" she screamed, turning with a savage swipe of her curled fingers, sending sweeping stripes of flame after the two Nekoken.

"**PHOENIX CALL!**"

Akane had punched out towards them, a sonic boom roaring through them and sweeping everyone in range off their feet. She couldn't move, but it was obvious that she could still fight.

"**YOU BAKABAKASHII!**" Akima screamed at Yukima, "**SNAP OUT OF IT RIGHT NOW! OR…OR…OR I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU AS LONG AS I LIVE!**"

"**AKIMA-SAN!**" Yukima cried, going from four legs to two as he lunged at the collapsing girl, catching her before she hit the ground, "**AKIMA-SAN! AKIMA-SAN! WHAT'S WRONG! WHERE ARE YOU HURT! AKIMA!**" he screamed, catching her face in his hands and sobbing, "**PLEASE! AKIMA!**"

"What's wrong with her?" Ranma asked, from where he stood with Herb and Mei Ying.

"**MOM!**" Kama's cry startled the Godslayer and he went as pale as his offspring when he laid eyes on Akane, who was slumped to the ground, trying to breathe despite the arrow.

"**Akane!**" catching her up like a gust of wind, Ranma spun on Yukima, who was clinging to his friend and sobbing uncontrollably, "**kid! Follow me!**"

Yukima stared at him, then grimly pulled himself to his feet, Akima hanging unconscious in his arms, "**lead the way!**"


End file.
